G70 



THE HOME, FARM AND BUSINESS CYCLOPAEDIA. 



in detail. An account is then opened in the general Ledger for this per- 

 son; the amount thus charged to him in the Journal is posted to the debit 

 side of his account here opened, and this account credited when remittance 

 is made for the net proceeds. An extra column may be kept in the Journal 

 in which to enter the merchandise sales, which will render it unnecessary 

 to post the Merchandise oftener than once a month, the sales we make 

 directly from our store being entered in this column, as well as the net 

 proceeds of sales reported by the persons to whom we ship. The object 

 of extending the cost of the goods in the Shipping Ledger, when we make 

 a shipment, is in order that we may see whether we lose or gain on the 

 shipment, and thus ascertain whether it pays to ship goods to that person. 

 On the debit side of this Ledger is found the cost of the goods, and on the 

 credit is found what we realized for them the difference between the 

 two sides being the amount lost or gained. The goods charged to the 

 different persons in the Shipping Ledger belong to us until reported sold ; 

 consequently, a real charge is not made to the person until the sale is re- 

 ported. Some shipping houses keep both a Sales Book and a Shipping 

 Ledger, entering the shipment first on the Sales Book and afterward copy- 

 ing it into the Shipping Ledger ; but as it is unnecessary work to thus 

 enter the transaction twice, the Sales Book is dispensed with and the 

 transaction is at once recorded in the Shipping Ledger. There are several 

 forms for the Shipping Ledger in use ; but, as heretofore stated, a book 

 ruled in common Ledger form may be used ; however, it will be seen that 

 two extra columns one on the debit side and one on the credit, in which 

 to make a memorandum of the amount lost or the amount gained on the 

 shipments are very convenient. By having these two extra columns, 

 we may at any time ascertain how much we have gained or lost on the 

 total shipments made to any person, by simply adding the two columns, 

 " Losses " and " Gains," on his shipment account, and finding the difference 

 between the sums total. In order that the book described may be more 

 fully understood, a form for the same will here be given. 



243. 



FORM FOR SHIPPING LEDGER. 



